Apparatus for supporting and handling coils of strip metal or the like



June 1961 c. c. BLACKMAN ET AL 2,988,349

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING AND HANDLING cons OF STRIP METAL. OR THE LIKEFiled Dec. 6, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS CAL V//\/ C- BLACK/VANJune 1961 c. c. BLACKMAN ETAL 2,983,349

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING AND HANDLING COILS 0F STRIP METAL OR THE LIKEFiled Dec. 6, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS c- CA 1. V/N c- BZACA'MANJ 3 A ROBERT J3 BEE/75R.

ATTORNEYS June 13, 1961 c. c. BLACKMAN ETAL 2,983,349

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING AND HANDLING COILS 0F STRIP METAL OR THE LIKE 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 6, 1957 /45 "IW "Him F210 June 1961 c. c.BLACKMAN ET AL 2,988,349

APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING AND HANDLING CQILS OF STRIP METAL OR THE LIKEFiled Dec. 6, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS CA 4 V//\/ c- ElAfk/VA/V A29035127- I BEE/1E1? ATTORNEYS 2,988 349 APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING ANDHANDLING COILS F STRIP METAL OR THE LIKE Calvin C. lllackman and RobertJ. Beemer, Bay Village, Ohio, assiguors to Lee Wilson, Cleveland, OhioFiled Dec. 6, 1957, Ser. No. 701,092 8 Claims. (Cl. 263-3) Thisinvention relates to apparatus for preparing coils of strip metal forannealing, and handling the coils during the preparation and annealingprocedures.

In the co-pending United States patent application of Lee Wilson andEdwin A. Corns, Serial No. 639,939, filed February 13, 1957, there isdisclosed and claimed a method of and apparatus for annealing coils ofstrip metal wherein a tight wound coil is recoiled into an open coilhaving the laps thereof spaced apart, and the open coil is then heatedto annealing temperature by forcing heated atmosphere vertically throughthe spaces between the laps of the coil. In this open coil annealingprocedure it is important that the coil axis be maintained substantially vertical so that the laps of the open coil will not shift outof their properly and evenly spaced apart condition.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide improvedcoil handling and supporting means for use in carrying out open coilannealing procedures such as disclosed in said co-pending applicationSerial No. 639,939. Other objects of our invention include: theprovision of improved coil lifting and transferring apparatus wherebycoils may be positioned on and lifted from pay-off or recoilingturntables and transferred to and deposited on a furnace base structurewithout the employment of a supporting grid or sub-base; the provisionof a furnace base for annealing open coils of strip metal on which acoil may be directly deposited and the coil lifting and transferringapparatus completely removed so that no part of the coil lifting andtransferring means need be heated during the annealing process; theprovision of a rugged and simple coil lifting and support means wherebyan open coil may be picked up with its axis vertical and transferredfrom one place to another during processing Without danger of ortendency for the laps of the coil to shift laterally out of theirproperly spaced positions; and the provision of coil lifting andtransferring apparatus which may be employed to handle open coils ofvarious outside diameters without adjustment or substitution of parts.

The above and other objects of ourinvention will appear from thefollowing description of one embodiment thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawingsin which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional plan view of a pay-off turntable incorporatingour improved coil support means, taken substantially on line 1-1 ofFIGURE 2, but with only a segmental portion of the coil shown in orderto permit clearer illustration of the turntable and coil lifterconstruction; I

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on line2-2 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating a pay-01f turntable with a tight woundcoil thereon and with the coil lifter in the position it assumes justafter the coil has been lowered onto the turntable;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially online 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially online 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view takensubstantially on line 55 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary elevational view taken substantially on line6-6 of FIGURE 1;

States Patent FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the coil lifter apparatus;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view takensubstantially on line 88 of FIGURE 7, the coil lifting cylinder beingcut off near its upper end;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view taken substantially on line 99 of FIGURE7 and illustrating one of the outer lifting members and the outer end ofthe lifting beam supported thereby;

FIGURE 10 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on line101ll of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a vertical cross sectional view through a furnace basestructure adapted to support an open coil for annealing, an open coilbeing shown in annealing position on the plenum chamber; and

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged plan view of the plenum chamber and coilsupport shown in FIGURE 11, taken substantially on line -1212 of FIGURE11.

As previously noted, in the coil annealing procedure disclosed in saidco-pending application Serial No. 639,939, a tight wound coil of stripmetal, as it comes from the mill, is placed on a rotatable pay-offturntable with its axis vertical. The outer end of the strip is securedto the center mandrel of an adjacent recoiling turntable which hasdriving means incorporated therein. The strip is then recoiled while aspacer strand or cord is interposed between the laps of the coil. Afterthe entire coil is rewound on the recoiling turntable, the spacer strandis removed leaving an open coil on the recoiling turntable which hascompletely free and clear passages between its spaced apart la'ps. Theopen coil is then lifted from the recoiling turntable and transported toand deposited on a suitable support on the base structure of a bell typeannealing furnace. After the open coil has been heated to annealingtemperature by forcing heated atmosphere vertically through the spacesbetween the laps of the coil and has been cooled to the desired degree,it is lifted from the furnace base and transported back to and depositedupon the pay-off turntable. The end of the open annealed coil is thensecured to the center mandrel of the driven recoiling turntable, and theopen coil is rewound back into a tight coil. The annealed tight coil isthen lifted from the recoiling turn table and removed for furtherprocessing or shipment.

The present invention is directed to improved means for supporting thecoil on the pay-off and recoiling turntables and on the furnace basestructure whereby it may readily be lifted therefrom and depositedthereon during the various steps of the coil opening and annealingprocedure. Our invention also contemplates a coil lifting apparatuswhich coacts with the coil support means on the turntables and furnacebase to facilitate lifting and bandling an open coil with its axisvertical and which eliminates the necessity for a coil supporting web orgrid such as is shown in said co-pending application Serial No. 639,939.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURES l--6 illustrate a freelyrotatable pay-off turntable with a tight wound coil supported thereon.The lower end of our coil lifting apparatus is also shown in thesefigures, and it may be assumed that the tight wound coil has just beendeposited on the turntable shown in these views but that the coillifting apparatus has not yet been removed.

The pay-off turntable T includes a base plate or disc I which has acenter bearing 2 on a hired vertical shaft 3. A plurality of supportingrollers 4 are mounted in suitable brackets 5 carried on a foundation orbase structure 6. The rollers 4 are spaced both radially andcircumferentially of the base plate 1 of the turntable T and providesupport which permits the turntable T to rotate freely in a hori zontalplane about the shaft 3. At the center of the base. plate 1 is avertically extending coil centering mandrel means composed of threecircumferentially spaced sections 7, 8 and 9 (see FIGURES 3 and 4).These sections have inwardly inclined upper end portions, as seen at 7'and 8 in FIGURE 2, and are reinforced by radially extending verticalwebs or flanges 10.

A plurality of radiallyextending vanes 11 are secured to and supportedon the upper face of base plate 1 and extend from the mandrel sections7, 8 and 9 radially outwardly to the outer periphery of base plate 1.Three top coil supporting plates 12, 13 and 14, of annular sector form,are supported on the top edges of vanes 11 and are vertically spacedfrom and parallel to the base plate 1. As perhaps best seen in FIGURE 5,the adjacent radial edges of these coil supporting plates are spacedapart and are supported by radially extending channel members 15 and 16which are secured as by welding to the base plate 1 and to the coilsupporting plate below which they are disposed. The upper faces ofplates 12, 13 and 14 form coil supporting surfaces spaced apartcircumferentially of the base plate 1 and lying in a common horizontalplane above the base plate 1.

From the above it will be observed that the turntable T has a flatannularhorizontal coil supporting surface with an apertured orvertically slotted mandrel projecting upwardly in the center thereof andfurther has three spaced apart slots or channels 17, 1'8 and 19extending radially across the annular supporting surface and completelyopen on top throughout their entire length. These slots have verticalside walls formed by the channel members 15 and 16 as clearly seen inFIGURE 5, and they are disposed midway between the vertically extendingmandrel sections 7, 8 and 9 and open into the spaces therebetween.Disposed at the inner ends of the open top apertures or channels 17, 18and 19 are circumferentially extending slots 20, 21 and 22 which extendthrough the base plate 1 and provide means for locating the lower endsof the center lifting member of the coil lifter apparatus and limitingits downward movement as will later appear.

When in position for recoiling, the tight wound coil C rests upon thesupporting plates 12, 13 and 14, overlies the open top slots or channels17, 18 and 19, and is centered on the turntable T by a mandrel which, asshown, is made up of the spaced portions 7, 8 and 9. In FIG- URES 1-4the lower portion of our improved coil lifter apparatus is illustratedin the position the parts assume just after the coil C has been loweredonto the turntable T. As the upper portions and some of the otherdetails of the coil lifter are illustrated in FIGURES 7e10, reference ismade to FIGURES l-lO for complete showing of the coil lifter structure.a

As best seen in FIGURE 7, the coil lifter includes a main support framestructure comprising, as illustrated, three equally spaced radiallyextending support arms 25, 26 and 27 which are secured at their innerends to vertically spaced top and bottom center plates 28 and 29. Aswill be explained later, more or less than three arms can be used ifdesired. The lifting'eye 30 is secured to the main support framestructure and is adapted to. be engaged by the book of a crane or thelike for lifting and transporting the lifter and the coil carriedthereby.

Secured to the bottom center plate 29, as by bolts 31, is a centerlifting member in the form of a downwardly depending cylinder 32. Theupper end of this cylinder is seen in FIGURE 8, and the lower endportion is seen in FIGURE 2, it being understood that any part of thecylinder intermediate the parts shown in FIGURES 8 and 2 constitutes animperforate tube or cylinder.

Referring particularly to FIGURES l-4, the lower end of the liftingcylinder 32 is cut out to form three circumferentially spaced downwardlyextending tongues 33, 34 and 35. As seen in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4, the.circumferential width of the tongues 33, 34 and 35, above the base plate1, is slightly less than the circumferential spacing between thesections 7, 8 and 9 of the center mandrel of the turntable T. However,the width of the tongues 33, 34 and 35 at their lower end portions isreduced to slightly less than the circumferential length of the slots20, '21 and 22 in the base plate 1 so that they may enter these slots.The lower end portion of tongue 33 is seen at 33, and the lower end oftongue 35 is seen at 35 in FIGURE v2. It will be understood that thecorresponding lower ends of the tongue 34 will project through slot 21when the lifting cylinder 32 is in the position shown in FIGURE 2.Shoulders are formed at the junction of portion 33' with the upperportion of the tongue 33 and act as stops which limit the downwardmovement of the lifting cylinder 32 when the same is lowered toward theturntable T.

It will be understood that before the cylinder 32 can be lowered intothe position seen in FIGURE 2, the tongues 33, 34 and 35 must be alignedabove the spaces between the mandrel sections 7, 8 and 9. When soaligned, the coil lifting apparatus may be lowered until the shouldersat the lower ends of the spaced tongues 33, 34 and 35 engage the topface of base plate 1, it being noted from FIGURE 2 that the tongues arelonger than the mandrel sections.

Each of the tongues 33, 34 and 35 is provided with a rectangularaperture at its lower end portion. These apertures 36, when the liftingcylinder 32 is in its seated position as seen in FIGURE 2, are alignedwith the open inner ends of the channels 17, 18 and 19 in the upper faceof the turntable T. The opening 36 in tongue 33 is seen in FIGURE 2 andall three openings 36 are seen in FIGURE 4.

At the outer end of each of the support arms '25, 26 and 27, pivotallysecured thereto, are three outer lifting mem bers in the form ofdownwardly depending struts 39. These struts are pivotally movable aboutpivot pins 40 in a radial direction and have enlarged plates 41 securedat their lower ends. Apertures 42 are formed in the plates 41 to receivethe coil lifting beams as will be later described.

The three support arms 25, 26 and 27 of the coil llfter unit areangularly spaced apart in the same degree as are the three open toppedslots or channels 17, 18 and 19 in the turntable T. The tongues 33, 34and 35 at the lower ends of the center lifting cylinder 34 are aligneddirectly below the arms 25, 26 and 27 respectively. Thus, when thetongues 33, 34 and 35 are positioned as seen in FIGURE 2 with theapertures 36 therein in alignment with the inner ends of channels 17, 18and 19, the arms 25, 26 and 27 .overlie the channels 17, 18 and 19, andthe vertical struts 39 and the bottom plates 41 thereof are disposed inradial alignment with, and adjacent the outer ends of, the channels 17,18 and 19 and with the rectangular apertures 42 directly alignedtherewith. This arrangement is clearly seen in FIG- URE 2.

Removable coil lifting beams 43, 44 and 45, when in position to supporta coil so that it may be lifted and'transported by the lifter unit,extend between the tongues 33, 34 and 35 of the center lifting cylinder32 and the lower end plates 41 of the three outer lifting struts 39.Thus in FIGURE 2 coil lifting beam 45 is seen with its inner endextending through the rectangular aperture 36 in the tongue 35 and itsouter end extending through the rectangular aperture 42 in the plate 41which is disposed at the outer end of channel 19. In like manner liftingbeam 43 extends between and is supported by the tongue 33 and itscorresponding outer lifting strut 39, and lifting beam 44 extendsbetween and is supported by tongue 34 and its corresponding strut 39.Adjacent the outer end of each of the lifting beams 43, 44 and 45, onthe lower face thereof, is a stop lug 46 (see FIGURES 6 and 9) which,when the lifting beams are supported in the apertures in plates 41 ofthe strut members 39, prevents the struts 39 from swinging outwardly andlimits the inward movement of the beams. i v

In describing the operation of the coil lifter and its cooperation withthe turntable T, it will be assumed that a tight wound coil of stripmetal has been deposited on the turntable T with the inner opening inthe coil encompassing and centered by the mandrel sections7, 8 and 9.The coil lifter is now transported by a suitable hoist or crane untilthe lifting cylinder 32 is above the center opening of the coil C. Theunit is now lowered so that the cylinder 32 enters the center op'e'ningin the coil, and when the tongues 33, 34 and 35 at the lower end ofcylinder 32 reach the top of the mandrel segments 7, 8 and 9, thesupport frame structure of the lifter (arms 25, 26 and 27) is rotateduntil the tongues 33, 34 and 35 are aligned with the spaces between themandrel segments 7, 8 and 9. The lifter unit is now lowered until thenarrow bottom end portions 33', 35, etc. of the tongues 33, 34 and 35,enter the arcuate slots 20, 21 and 22 in the base plate 1 and downwardmovement of the lifting cylinder 32 and the entire lifter unit isstopped by engagement of the shoulders on the tongues 33, 34 and 35 withthe top face of base plate 1.

The three outer lifting struts 39 are now disposed outside of the outerperiphery of the coil and the outer periphery of turntable T and thelifting beam receiving apertures 42 therein are aligned with the outerends of the channels 17, 18 and 19. In like manner, the apertures 36 inthe tongues 33, 34 and 35 are aligned with the inner ends of channels17, 18 and 19 respectively. The coil lifting beam 43 may now be insertedthrough the aperture in plate 41, pushed along through the slot 17 belowthe bottom of coil C until its inner end extends through the aperture 36in the tongue 33'. In like manner the lifting beams 44, and- 45 arepushed through the slots 18 and 19 respectively so that their ends arein position to be engaged by the corresponding tongues on the liftingcylinder 32 and the plates 41 on the outer lifting struts 39.

To lift the coil, it is now only necessary to elevate the lifter by thehoist or crane which is secured to the lifting eye 30 whereupon the topfaces of the lifting beams 43, 44 and 45 will engage the bottom of thecoil C and lift same from the turntable T.

It will be understood that the driven recoiling turntable (not shown) onwhich the open coil is formed will have channels, similar in number anddisposition to channels 17, 18 and 19 described above, in its uppersurface and that its central mandrel means will be such that the centercylinder 32 of the lifter may be positioned with the apertures in thethree tongues 33, 3'4 and 35 correctly indexed at the inner ends of thelifting beam receiving channels. The recoilin'g turntable is notspecifically illustrated herein as it differs from the pay-off turntableonly by the inclusion of driving means and by such modifications of themandrel structure as are nebessary to permit gripping the end of thestrip to start the winding operation.

When a tight coil C has been recoiled into an open coil on the abovereferred to driven recoiling turntable, the coil lifter unit ispositioned thereon and the lifting beams inserted in the mannerpreviously described. The open coil may then be lifted with its axismaintained in vertical position; The spaced laps of the open coil willnot shift laterally relative to each other because of their functionalengagement with the upper faces of the lifting beams, and the open coilmay then be transported toand deposited on the furnace base structureseen in FIGURES l1 and 12. This base structure, and particularly theplenum chamber on which the open coil is directly supported will now bedescribed.

Referring to FIGURE 11, the furnace base structure B is supported on asuitable foundation 50 and is adapted to carry the usual inner cover andfurnace bell (not shown but which may be of any suitable type). Acentrifugal fan or blower 51 is supported on a vertical shaft 52 whichprojects down through the bottom portion 53 of the base. Fan 51 may bedriven by any suitable means 6 such as thebelt 54, and the diffuser 55surroundsthe blower 5'1 and directs the discharge thereof outwardly andupwardly through the annular opening 56 at the rim of the diffuser.Included in the diffuser 55 are a plurality of radially extending vanes57, the upper edges of which lie in a common horizontal plane.

The plenum chamber and charge support P (see FIG- RES 11 and 12) issupported on the top edges of the vanes 57 of the diffuser 55 andincludes an annular base plate 58 having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced radially extending vertical webs 59 securedthereto. The upper edges of webs 59 all lie in a common horizontal planeand serve to engage and support the open coil C disposed thereon. Anannular baffle wall 60 has its outer edge secured to the cylindricalouter wall 61 of the plenum chamber P and is inclined inwardly anddownwardly so that its inner periphery is secured to the annular baseplate 58 at the center opening therein. Baifle wall 60, in addition todirecting the atmosphere which has been forced downwardly through thespaces between the laps of the open coil C into the inlet of blower 51,reinforces the vertical webs 59 and assists in giving the necessaryrigidity to the entire plenum and coilsupport structure P.

In order to permit the coil C to be positioned directly on the top edgesof the webs 5? of the plenum chamber when it is being lowered by thecoil lifter unit previously described, three circumferentially andequally spaced slots or channels 62, 63 and 64 are formed adjacent theouter periphery of the plenum chamber P. As seen in FIGURE 11, channel62 is defined by a horizontal bottom wall 65 and triangular verticalside walls 66 and 67. To provide further support for the lifting beams43, 44 and 45 of the coil lifter unit, transverse struts 68, 69 and 7t)are secured to adjacent webs 59 and extend normal to the channels 62, 63and 64 respectively. Each of the struts 68, 69 and 70 carries adepending beam supporting bracket 71 having a horizontal bottom memberaligned with the bottom wall of the adjacent channel. Further supportfor the inner ends of the coil lifting beams is provided by horizontallyextending bars 72 which are secured to the inner ends of adjacent webs59 and are disposed in the same horizontal plane as the bottom of thechannels 62, 63 and 64.

When the coil C is lowered into position on the top of the plenumchamber and coil support P, the coil lifter unit is so angularlydisposed that the coil lifting beams 43, 44 and 45 enter the channels62, 63 and 64 and thus permit the bottom of the coil C' to seat upon thetop edges of the webs 59. After the coil supporting beams are removedthe lifter unit is taken away, the inner cover and furnace hell arepositioned over the charge, and the annealing cycle is carried out. Withour improved coil handling and supporting structure, none of theapparatus which is used to lift and transport the coil is left in thefurnace during annealing, and thus there is no loss of efliciency due toheating of structural elements used to lift and transfer the coilbetween the various steps of the open coil annealing procedure.

At the outer end of each of the channels 62, 63 and 64 are verticalguide members 73 which are secured to the outer face of the cylindricalwall 61. Removable sliding gates or doors 74 are adapted to be removablydisposed in the guide member 73 to close the outer ends of channels 62,63 and 64 after the coil lifting beams have been removed. These gates ordoors prevent by-passing of heated atmosphere through the channels 62,63.a'nd 64 during annealing but do not interfere with the coil liftingand lowering operations when they are removed.

Upon completion of an annealing cycle, the furnace bell and inner coverare removed, the sliding doors 74 are taken away to open the ends of thechannels 62, 63 and 64, and the coil lifter is positioned with thecenter cylinder in the center of the coil C and with the outer liftingstruts aligned with the channels 62, 63 and 64.-

The coil lifting beams-'43, 44 and 45 are now pushed vmake up ourimproved apparatus,

into position through the channels 62, 63 and 64 and,

when they have been engaged by the center lifting member and the outerlifting struts of the coil lifter unit, the annealed open coil is liftedoff the furnace and carried to the pay-off tuntable where it isdeposited thereon in the manner previously described. The outer end ofthe annealed open coil is secured to the mandrel of the driven rccoilingturntable, and the open coil is recoiled into a tight coil suitable forfurther handling or shipment.

The coil lifter of our apparatus has been illustrated and describedherein as having three equally spaced radially extending support arms,three corresponding depending lifting struts, and three lifting beams.However, if de sired, a greater or lesser number of support arms,lifting struts and lifting beams may be employed. The cylindrical centerlifting member 32 is just slightly smaller in outside diameter than thecenter opening in the coils to be handled (see FIGURE 2). Thus, if two,or even only one, sets of support arms, lifting struts, and liftingbeams are employed, the rather close fit of the center cylindricalmember on the inside of the coil will prevent undesired tilting thereofout of vertical axis position. Furthermore the turntables might varysubstantially in structure and arrangement from that illustrated both inthe means of mounting the turntable for rotation and in the structure ofthe coil engaging and supporting portions. Thus the turntable might takethe form of a spoked spider mounted on a central thrust bearing on avertical axis with spokes disposed so that the tops thereof form a coilengaging surface lying in a horizontal plane and the spaces therebetweenwould provide the open top apertures which permit the lifting beams ofthe coil lifter to be inserted and removed from below the coil.

Accordingly, although we have described the illustrated embodiment ofour invention in considerable detail, it will be understood thatmodifications and variations may be made in the specific form of thestructural elements which We do not therefore wish to be limited to theexact arrangements herein shown and described but claim as our inventionall embodiments thereof coming within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for annealing coils of strip metal including spacedrotatable coil supporting turntables each having a coil engaging andsupporting surface disposed to rotate in a horizontal plane, said coilsupporting surfaces each having an open top and open ended apertureextending radially from the outer to the inner peripheries of saidsurfaces, coil lifter means for transferring coils to and from saidturntables including a supporting frame having secured to and dependingtherefrom a center lifting member and an outer lifting member spacedradially outwardly of said center lifting member, and a coil liftingbeam removably supported adjacent its inner and outer ends by saidcenter lifting member and said outer lifting member respectively, saidcoil lifting beam being adapted to be moved horizontally into and out oflifting position in said open top and open ended aperture in saidturntables below the coil supporting surfaces thereof independently ofsaid supporting frame of said coil lifter means.

2. Apparatus for annealing coils of strip metal including two spacedrotatable coil supporting turntables each having an annular coilsupporting surface disposed to rotate in a horizontal plane, said coilsupporting surfaces each having at least three spaced apart open top andopen ended slots extending radially from the outer to the innerperipheries of said surfaces, said slots being similarly disposed oneach of said coil supporting surfaces, coil lifting means including asupporting frame having secured to and depending therefrom a centerlifting'member and at least three outer lifting members spaced radiallyoutwardly of said center lifting member and being spaced apart similarlyto said slots, and a plurality of coil'lifting beams removably supportedadjacent their inner and outer ends by said center lifting member andsaid outer lifting members respectively, said coil lifting beams beingadapted to be disposed in said slots with their ends projecting from theinner and outer end thereof.

3. Apparatus for annealing coils of strip metal including, spacedrotatable coil supporting turntables each having an annular coilsupporting surface disposed to rotate in a horizontal plane, said coilsupporting surfaces each having a plurality of similarly arranged spacedapart open top and open ended apertures extending radially from theouter to the inner peripheries of said surfaces, a furnace basestructure spaced from said coil supporting turntables and including coilsupporting means disposed in a horizontal plane and having a pluralityof open top and open ended apertures extending radially thereof andarranged similarly to said first named apertures, coil lifting meansincluding a supporting frame having secured to and depending therefrom acenter lifting member and a plurality of outer lifting members spacedradially outwardly of said center lifting member and being spaced apartsimilarly to said apertures, and a plurality of coil lifting beamsremovably supported adjacent their inner and outer ends by said centerlifting member and said outer lifting members respectively, said coillifting beams being adapted to be disposed in said apertures.

4. In apparatus for handling and recoiling coils of strip metal, aturntable for supporting a coil of strip metal with the coil axisvertical including a base plate member, means for supporting said baseplate member for rotation in a horizontal plane, a plurality of coilengaging members supported on and having coil supporting surfaces spacedvertically upwardly from said base plate member, said coil supportingsurfaces lying in a common horizontal plane and being spaced apartcircumferentially of said base plate member whereby radially extendinguninterrupted open top channels are provided between said coilsupporting surfaces, coil centering mandrel means centered on said baseplate member and extending upwardly above said common horizontal plane,said mandrel means including a plurality of sections circumferentiallyspaced from each other and out of alignment with said radially extendingchannels whereby coil lifting beams may be lowered thereinto and liftedtherefrom, and coil lifting means including a supporting frame having acenter lifting member secured to and depending vertically therefrom,said center lifting member having circumferentially spaced lifting beamengaging means at its bottom and disposed to be aligned with the innerends of said channels when said center lifting member is lowered inconcentric relation to said mandrel means, and outer lifting memberssecured to and depending from said supporting frame and disposed to bealigned with the outer ends of said channels when said lifting beamengaging means are aligned with the inner ends of said channels, saidouter lifting members having lifting beam engaging means at their lowerends.

5. A plenum chamber and coil support structure for coils of strip metalincluding a plurality of spaced apart radially extending web membershaving upper coil engaging portions lying in a common horizontal plane,annular balfie wall means disposed below said coil engaging portions ofsaid web members, said annular baffle wall means having one peripherysubstantially at said common plane and its other periphery spacedvertically and offset radially from said one periphery, and a radiallyextending channel above said baffle wall means, said channel being openon top throughout its length at said common plane whereby a coil liftingbeam may be inserted below a coil supported on said coil engagingportions.

6. Coil lifting and transferring apparatus including a support framestructure, a center lifting member secured to and depending from saidframe structure and having an outer dimension only silghtly smaller thanthe inside diameter of the coil to be handled, said center liftingmember having at its lower end an inner lifting beam engaging andsupporting means, an outer lifting member carried by and depending fromsaid frame structure, said outer lifting member being spaced radiallyoutwardly from said center lifting member, outer lifting beam engagingand supporting means disposed at the lower end of said outer liftingmember, and a coil lifting beam removably supported for longitudinalsliding movement at its inner and outer ends by said inner and outercoil lifting means.

7. Coil lifting and transferring apparatus including a support framestructure, a center lifting member secured at the center of said framestructure and depending therefrom, said center lifting member having atits lower end a plurality of circumferentially spaced inner lifting beamreceiving and supporting apertures, a plurality of outer lifting memberscarried by and depending from said frame structure, said outer liftingmembers being spaced radially outwardly from said center lifting memberand spaced apart circumferentially similarly to said inner lifting beamreceiving and supporting apertures, outer lifting beam receivingapertures disposed at the lower end of each of said outer liftingmembers, and coil lifting beams removably supported for longitudinalslidingmovement at their inner and outer ends by said inner and outercoil lifting means.

8. In coil handling and lifting apparatus, a coil support having a coilengaging surface disposed in a horizontal plane, said coil engagingsurface having an open top and open ended aperture extending downwardlyfrom said surface and radially from the outer to the inner periphery ofsaid surface, and coil lifter means for transferring coils to and fromsaid coil support including a supporting frame having secured to anddepending therefrom a center lifting member having an outer radialdimension only slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the coil tobe lifted and an inner lifting beam receiving and supporting aperture,an outer lifting member carried by said supporting frame and spacedradially outwardly of said center lifting member and having an outerlifting beam receiving and supporting aperture adjacent its lower end,and a coil lifting beam adapted to be removably supported forlongitudinal sliding movement adjacent its inner and outer ends in saidapertures in said center lifting member and outer lifting: member respectively, said lifting beam also being adapted, when supported by saidlifting members, to be moved vertically into said open top and openended aperture in said coil supporting surface.

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